Estrella–Pantaleon Bridge


The Estrella–Pantaleon Bridge, also known as the Rockwell Bridge, is a two-lane box truss bridge crossing the Pasig River in Metro Manila, the Philippines. It connects Estrella Street in Makati on the south bank of the Pasig River, near the Rockwell Center mixed-use development, to Pantaleon Street in Mandaluyong on the north bank, near the site of the Acqua Private Residences.
It is one of three bridges connecting Makati and Mandaluyong, the other two being the Makati–Mandaluyong Bridge connecting Makati Avenue and the Makati Poblacion to Mandaluyong, and the Guadalupe Bridge carrying Epifanio de los Santos Avenue between the two cities, ultimately serving to help relieve chronic traffic congestion on the two other bridges.

History

Construction

Originally announced in 2003 by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as one of several bridges to be built by October that year, construction of the bridge would not be realized until several years later, when it was ultimately made part of the Bridge Construction and Acceleration Project for Calamity Stricken Areas I program, a three-year program funded by Austria to help the Philippines build nineteen weather-resistant bridges, building on a similar program executed by the Austrian and Philippine governments between 2001 and 2005. Austrian firm Waagner-Biro provided the modular steel components for the bridge, while actual construction work was performed by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The ₱303.655 million bridge was inaugurated on February 12, 2011 by Vice President Jejomar Binay along with the mayors of Makati and Mandaluyong, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, and Austrian ambassador to the Philippines Wilhelm Donko.

Expansion

In June 2017, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar announced the expansion of the Estrella–Pantaleon Bridge. The new bridge, to be built using Chinese funds, would have 4 lanes and will be a 560-meter Twin Spine steel box girder bridge with concrete deck slabs. It will utilize the existing approaches while modifying the abutment and piers to accommodate the new bridge superstructure.
The bridge was briefly closed in September 2018 preparation of expansion works but was shortly reopened due to the anticipated heavy traffic situation due to the holiday season. Plans for expansion works were moved to January 2019. The closure of the bridge started on January 19, 2019.

Traffic regulation

In September 2015, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras announced that the government was looking into implementing a one-way traffic scheme on the Estrella–Pantaleon and Makati–Mandaluyong Bridges.